Fence-post



-(No Model.) I

AK L. KITSELMAN.

FENCE PUST.

No. 442,189. Patented Dee. 9, 1890.

WJTWESSES ALVA Il. KITSELMAN, OF RIDGEVILLE, INDIANA.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,189, dated December9, 1890. Application tiled July 22, 1890. Serial No. 359,554. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom t muy concern:

Be it known that I, ALvA L. K1rsELnAN,a citizen of the United States,residingat Ridgeville, in the county of Randolph and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Fence-Post, of which the following is aspeciication.

This invention relates to fence-posts; and it has Jfor its object toconstruct a device of this class which shall be simple, inexpensive,durable, and efficient. A further object of my invention is to providesimple and efficient means 'for securing the parts of the post togetherand for anchoring the same in the ground.

lith these ends in view the invention consists ofthe improvedconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of afence-post embodying my improvements, showing the parts of the sameconnected. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1.Fig. is a sectional view taken on the line 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. i is aperspective detail view of the bottom clamp. Fig. 5 is a perspectivedetail view of the top clamp. Fig. (5 is a detail View of thefastening-wedge. Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating a modification.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

My improved fence-post is made of me'tal, preferably iron, and it may bedescribed as consisting of the following principal parts, namely: theupright 1., the brace 2, the bottom clamp 3, the top clamp 4, the wedgeor fastening device 5, and the anchoring board or block 0.

The upright 1 consists, simply, of a piece of bar iron or steelrectangular in cross-sccton and of any suitable dimensions.

The bottom clamp 3 consists of an approximately semicircular band, therounded portion of which is provided on opposite sides with beveledportions 7 7, formed adjacent to the straight side S ot the said clamp.The latter is in practice slipped over the lower end of the upright 1with its straight side S bearing against the side of said upright.

The end of the brace 2, which latter is constructed oi round iron orsteel of suitable dimensions7 is then slipped through the clamp betweenthe rounded portion of the latter and the adjacent side of theupright 1. By bending the outer end of the brace 2 in an upwarddirection the clamp 3 will thus be caused to assume a diagonal position,as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and will firmly bind thelower end of the upright 1 and the brace 2 together.

It will be observed that the brace 2 is bent so as to form the lowerhorizontal portion El and the inclined portion 10. Thepart of said bracewhich rests in the clamp 3 will be seated and held securelyin thebeveled seats 7 formed in opposite sides ofthe rounded por-l tion ofsaid clamp.

Theinclincd portion 10 of the bra-ce 2 is bent or sprung in an inwarddirection toward the upright 1 until it permits of the placing inposition of the top clamp i. rlhe latteris provided with a slot 11, ofproper dimensions to accommodate the upright 1, and terminating at oneend in an opening or eye 12, large enough to admit the upper end of thebrace 2. It will be seen that by simply sliding the said clamp idownwardly upon the said upright and brace they will be firmly bound orsecured together. To prevent the accidental displacement of the saidholding-clamp, I prefer to avail myself of a suitable wedge, one form ofwhich has been shown in Figs. 1, 3, and G of the drawings, by referenceto which it will be seen that said wedge, which maybe made ot' iron,steel, or other suitable material, is provided in opposite sides withshallow grooves 1B to accommodate, respectively, the upright 1 and brace2,between which it is driven in a downward direction after beinginserted between the upper ends of said brace and upright. B y drivingthe said wedge downwardly the upper end of the brace will be bentslightly in an outward direction, and the parts will thus be iirmlysecured together, the grooves 1.3 serving to prevent the displacement ofthe wedge in a lateral direction. lVhen desired, this form of wedge may,however, be dispensed with, andthe device shown in Fig. 7 of thedrawings substituted therefor, said device consisting simply of a nailsquare in cross-section and slightly tapering. rThis nail, which isdesignated by li, may be lOO driven laterally between the upright 1 andbrace 2 at a point slightly above the top clamp 4. lVhen this device isused, the meeting faces of the brace and upright are to be provided Withnotches 15, into which the fastening device can be driven, the uprightlbeing preferably provided with a series of such notches, in order thatthe parts may be readily brought into alignment for the reception of thefastening device 14.

To the lower or horizontal portion 9 of the brace 2 is secured, by meansof staples 16 orV other suitable fa'stenings,'the board or block 6,which serves as an anchor for the post.

The manner of practicing myinvention Will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the drawings heretoannexed. AThe lower end of the upright 1 and brace 2, carrying theanchor 6, are to be set in the ground to any desired depth, the saidanchor serving to secure the post firmly in position. It is intended tosecure the fencing material to the upright 1 of the post Withoutdrilling holes in the latter, and for this reason comparatively lightmaterial may be employed in the manufacture of the post. The generalconstruction is simple and inexpensive, and by the means which I haveprovided for connecting the upright with the brace an exceedinglydurable and efficient as Well as neat and ornamental fencepost may beconstructed at a very moderate expense.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a fence-post, the herein-described binding-clamp, consisting of anapproximately semicircular band, the rounded portion of which isprovided with beveled seats formed in opposite sides thereof,substantially as set forth.

2. The coinbination,\vith the square metallic upright and the roundmetal brace,of the approximately semicircular binding-clamp, the roundedportion of which is provided with beveled seats to accommodate the saidbrace, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fence-post comprising, essentially,a metal upright rect-angularin cross section and a round metal brace, the herein-described topbinding-clamp having a slot terminating in an eye or opening at'one end,substantially as set forth.

vet. In a fence-post, the combination of the upright, the brace having ahorizontal and an inclined portion,the bottom clamp consisting of anapproximately semicircular band having beveled seats, and the top clamphaving a slot terminating in an eye or opening at one end, substantiallyas set forth.

5. The combination of the upright,the brace, the connecting-clamps, a-nda Wedge driven above the top clamp between the brace and upright andhaving grooved sides forming seats for said brace and upright,substantially as set forth.

6. The herein-described fence-post, comprising, in combination, theupright, the brace, the semicircular bottom clamp having the oppositebeveled seats, the top clamp having a slot terminating in an eye, aWedge or fastening device driven between the brace and upright above thetop clamp, and an anchor secured to the lower horizontal portion of thebrace, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVA L. KITSELMAN.

Witnesses:

J. H. SIGGERs, J. EZRA SMITH.

